When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers!

[defurax]

I thought I would just share a funny anecdote from my recent HKG-SYD flight on QF128. My upgrade from Y to J (or PE) was declined 8 hours before the flight and when I checked availability on Flightstats I saw that F and J were now at 0 seats (down from F5 and J6 a few hours before). It wasn't such a big deal, I had seat 80A with "infinite" legroom and I also already had a good dinner with lots of Champagne in the Cathay F lounge.

The funny part of the flight began when 2 FAs (not the CSM) came to distribute noise cancelling headphones and newspapers to myself and PAX in 81A,B,C. After take off, a bottle of Champagne from J was brought to PAX in 81A,B,C and the bottle was kept in the bar/galley in front of row 79. I was also offered a drink from the bar and an amenity kit from J in addition to the express pass. I could clearly see that the two passengers next to me were looking at all this with a bit of incredulity. After a few minutes they got the courage to ask me what was all this special treatment about and I told them that QF really want their "higher status" to feel special to the point where they also start to feel special to everybody else in the cabin. They smiled and thanked me for explaining the entire QFF program to them (they were Norwegian tourists on the Reindeer route).

Do other airlines provide all these unstated benefits to their top-tier passengers in Y? (I've never achieved the "top" status on any other carrier than QF)

 

[Sprucegoose]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

SIA bought me a bottle of Krug and it was delivered by three staff. At my Sydney office.

 

[Danger]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

. . . Do other airlines provide all these unstated benefits to their top-tier passengers in Y? (I've never achieved the "top" status on any other carrier than QF)

In my experience, QF not providing these 'extra benefits' to elites in Y is more the norm.

 

[ermen]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

Do other airlines provide all these unstated benefits to their top-tier passengers in Y? (I've never achieved the "top" status on any other carrier than QF)

Never had your described treatment (but I'm now only a lowly WP compared to P1 + CL).
Best was when CSM comes around with the meet and greet / express passes and asks if there was anything they could help with.

But I've only tended to have these ex-SIN (when I was doing SYD - SIN in Y quite a bit). Haven't experienced it on any ex-SYD sectors apart from once, when I was a SG doing SYD-LAX. So fairly inconsistent.

I like the meet and greet though and think QF should write it into their standard operating procedure.

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

I follow the AC board in 'another place' and it doesn't appear to happen on AC. AC do, however prioritise between status classes within the J cabin (meal service etc).

Unless Mods care to move this one, might be worth starting similar thread on the QF forum here; would be of interest to those folks.

 

[RWJ777]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

As a WP, I was once offered a complimentary glass of sparkling wine in Y. The woman behind me, an American, saw this and barked that she was Gold and wanted it too (which was declined). Except when she pronounced Gold, it sounded like Cold; so her continued barking "I'm Gold, I'm Gold!", sounded like she was complaining she was cold. Such was her persistent hectoring of being Gold that I heard someone quip 'oh, for heaven's sake, give that woman a blanket!'. It was too much for her Australian boyfriend who told her to be quiet and sit still. The whole farce made for a very amusing trip, sparkling wine or not!

 

[samh004]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

I know my dad as a CX Diamond gets looked after very well in Y on CX, though quite often gets upgraded too, and he's not clearing the mark by a lot...

 

[blewie]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

Have to agree with Danger, haven't experienced the 'extra benefits' from Qantas at all when flying Y. Loyalty doesn't mean much.

 

[ozmille]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

haven't flown long haul whY yet as a WP but SWMBO has (WP as well) and she got NC headphones amenity kit and J drinks. When I am in row 16 on a 747 the crew come and ask me my meal preference before they start the meal service to make sure they don't run out before they get to me so I am pretty happy, on A380 I am in row 12 so no need for that.

 

[ermen]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

So, on some flights, I see the CSM / FAs bring champers from J to certain pax. I'm WP and didn't get that, and this was before P1 was introduced.

So is it fair to say that those pax being served the special drinks were probably CLs? Made me feel left out

 

[defurax]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

So is it fair to say that those pax being served the special drinks were probably CLs?

Or the Captain's family

 

[RooFlyer]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

So, on some flights, I see the CSM / FAs bring champers from J to certain pax. I'm WP and didn't get that, and this was before P1 was introduced.

So is it fair to say that those pax being served the special drinks were probably CLs? Made me feel left out

That's the issue with this, isn't it? Those at the top of the totem may get the extra benefits, whilst everyone else in the cabin who notices gets a bit resentful, especially if they are close to the top of the totem (such as WPs). The company pleases a few top % who for some reason are flying whY (for example) and cheeses off the majority % around them.

I wonder what FAs think about this? Whilst handling the hand-outs and welcome professionally, I'd think they would then have to deal with cheesed off other pax which wouldn't help the FAs day at all.

 

[ajw373]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

Back in the good old days when I was Platinum and living in London I flew LHR-SYD quite a bit in economy and received 'special' treatment on about 3/4's of my trips, mostly upgrades. The best was on a LHR-BKK service back in the days when they had Thai crew. Before take off the crew member came and said to my wife and I to take the exit row which was empty after we levelled out. Before we had a chance to move some other passenger took the seats, however he was quickly sent back to his seat so we could have it. We also received amenity kits from business and wine from up front rather than the standard Y wine, including before take off plus 2 bottles put into a duty free bag for us to consume during our stay in Bangkok. The best though was the FA's refusal to serve us economy class tea and coffee instead getting it from the front. Not sure if it was my platinum status or the fact the crew and my wife were Thai, or both that got us that special treatment on that flight. My wife however reckoned the reason was the crew member was a ladyboy (think she was 95% right on this one) and took a fancy to me (I hope she was 0% wrong with this one).

Getting to the topic at hand though, whilst getting 'special' treatment is indeed good, you can feel the eyes and the thoughts of the other passengers which isn't always a good feeling.

 

[simongr]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

I don't get any special treatment in whY domestically. Interestingly in J (upgraded on points) I got special treatment including a glass of wine immediately after take off.

Int'l I have mostly flown J and not really got much special treatment. On my whY flight to NZ earlier this year before P1 I was sat in row 4 to WLG. 4B was empty and 4A had friends in J who kept requesting that J food and drink be sent back to him (I think he couldn't get into J otherwise he wouldn't been in whY). The FA started to get embarrassed leaning over me and not giving me anything so started bringing me wine from the front

 

[Canny man]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

Got the special treatment J wine plus plat shadow in row 4 on Syd-BNE 737 last night. A first for such a short bus trip, and very welcome after a hard day drinking champagne at a christmas lunch. It was all very discrete and didn't seem to raise any eyebrows.

 

[Jack_OC]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

My wife however reckoned the reason was the crew member was a ladyboy (think she was 95% right on this one) and took a fancy to me (I hope she was 0% wrong with this one).

Doesn't "0% wrong" mean "100% right"???!

 

[yohy?!]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

Had a similar experience on QF128 quite recently while on my first flight as WP - CSM came by and introduced himself (including handshake!) provided express path card, offered drinks well ahead of the rest of the cabin service- the mainland Chinese sitting next to me were seriously annoyed but unfortunately spoke no English! (They accosted one of the mandarin speaking FAs later who explained it to them I think).

 

[MrJetset]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

On domestic flights I have had exceptional service on 737s in Row 4. My observation are that they generally look after WP in Row 4 ONLY.

One one flight MEL-BNE 4B ordered wine, and the CSM gave it to her for free (he had mentioned $6 but then waived it), a nice gesture I thought. Later, he came down to offer me in 4C and the pax in 4D wine from J. She barked at him that she wanted some too and to keep her quiet he offered he obliged. She would use the call button and demand fill ups. I was embarrassed for her.

Later he spoke to me in the galley about the dragon in 4B and how ungrateful she was.

On 767s I have had only 25% of the flights any special treatment in 23A/B. Again, they tend to extend this to Row 23/24 ONLY.

 

[simongr]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

I have had very few 73x flights recently so my experience to ADL in whY on the way down and J on the way back will be interesting. I have once had a crew member seem to be more attentive and I have had the cash for drinks thing waived a few times - mostly I think because I offer them a $50...

 

[Daver6]

Re: When unstated WP, WP1 and CL benefits become almost farcical to fellow passengers

I think you raise a really good point. While everyone loves to receive special treatment, it must be a nightmare for the cabin crew. A no body asks for some of that "special wine" or too. Must be a pain to have to explain to a peeved off passenger why certain people get special treatment.

That's the issue with this, isn't it? Those at the top of the totem may get the extra benefits, whilst everyone else in the cabin who notices gets a bit resentful, especially if they are close to the top of the totem (such as WPs). The company pleases a few top % who for some reason are flying whY (for example) and cheeses off the majority % around them.

I wonder what FAs think about this? Whilst handling the hand-outs and welcome professionally, I'd think they would then have to deal with cheesed off other pax which wouldn't help the FAs day at all.